So, it was 25 years ago this week that Philip and I tied the knot and on Monday we had a grand day out to celebrate. Our proper Silver Wedding treat is a holiday next week (of which more will follow as it is also one of my Things To Do) but of course we had to do something special to mark the actual day. We are both greedy people so what the Dandy and the Beano always referred to as "a slap up meal" was the obvious choice. We had heard good things about Paul Kitching's 21212 and it turned out to be the perfect venue for a romantic celebration. But first of all we rattled our way up to Edinburgh on the bus and forced our way through the festival crowds on the Bridges and down to Royal Terrace for a pre-lunch stroll to work up an appetite. There are some very lovely flats on Royal Terrace and I do enjoy a good nose into people's houses - I got a severe case of Library Envy outside the flat with a book lined study with proper library steps and enjoyed peering into the mini basement gardens which featured everything from proper plants in pots to artificial grass. And then it was time to eat.
It is a gorgeous Georgian townhouse - very traditional on the outside, but some nice contemporary quirks within. The dining room was beautifully stylish - we were next to one another on a very comfortable upholstered seat , separated by a bolster shaped cushion, at a table for two, which gave a feeling of intimacy. The tables are all round the edge of the room, and there is an open kitchen at one end, although there is a glass screen so there is no noise. Although there were 8 people working in a not-very-large space we were really impressed by their calmness; no Gordon Ramsey shouty sweariness for Mr Kitching. The staff were even more impressive than their surroundings - so friendly and welcoming. There was a card wishing us a happy anniversary on our table and the waitress won my heart by saying "We were worrying that we'd got the wrong table when we saw you; you look far too young to have been married for 25 years." The maitresse d' came up and said , "She wasn't joking - there really was a bit of panic!" I bet they say that to all the anniversary girls, but even so we were flattered.
And the food was amazing. The sort of food where there is something new to discover with every forkful. After the hugest ever green Spanish olives and tiny cornichons we both had to go for the same starter. Although we always try to choose different dishes when we are eating out (because I always want to taste EVERYTHING - and 21212 is brilliant for this because the menu is tiny) we made an exception with this because it sounded so good. It was a nugget of salmon, mackerel and haddock with baby vegetables and beads of pasta like giant couscous but softer, all with a hint of smokiness. It was topped with crispy wafers of beetroot and parmesan, and a scattering of cashew nuts. On the side was a little dish of a savoury custard with red pepper, flecked with caviar. And it was yummy. For our main course I had slow cooked chicken which was the most juicy, succulent chicken I have ever tasted, which came with little discs of haggis and black pudding and sausage, oyster mushrooms, cubes of baked egg, and crunchy caramelised apple and sage in a lettuce sauce. The only remotely duff note was a little circle of rather soggy puff pastry . Philip had sea bass with spiced prawns accompanied broad beans, aubergine, celeriac and hazelnuts in a light creamy seafood sauce. He said he could have done without the hazelnuts but everything else was fabulous. There was a lot of ecstatic moaning, and urging one another to try delectable little morsels. Philip had the cheese course next which was ginormous - a plate with about 10-12 different cheeses which ranged from the familiar (Manchego and Doddington's Admiral Collingwood, which we used to sell) to the new to us - and sadly I have failed to retain a single name. There was a selection of biscuits, some home made (my favourite was like a big varnished Dorito) with water biscuits and crackers, and dried fruits. And even though it was just Philip who had ordered it I was given a knife, plate and dried fruit too, which was just as well as there was far too much for one person, even one as devoted to cheese as my husband. And then it was my dessert, which again helpfully arrived with two spoons and I grudgingly allowed him a share because it was our anniversary after all.
If you are looking for a special place to eat in Edinburgh I really recommend 21212; it isn't wildly expensive either for the Michelin-starred standard of cooking - two courses at a midweek lunch starts from £20. As I said the menu is tiny - hence the name (2 starters, 1 soup, 2 mains, 1 cheese, 2 puds) so I would check if you are veggie, or have food allergies. It was friendly and relaxed enough to be truly enjoyable, but posh enough to feel like a proper treat.
The rest of the day was lovely too. We moseyed along Rose Street and had a drink sitting outside a pub in the sunshine, with Ian Rankin and an unidentified literary chap sitting beside us. If you know me in real life you may be aware that I am constitutionally incapable of recognising well known people (I once thought Sally Gunnell was an old school friend because her face looked so familiar) so Philip had to explain who it was, but then I thoroughly enjoyed eavesdropping on their bookish gossip. We went to the Book Festival in Charlotte Square to lounge in their stylish deckchairs and meet Polly (our oldest daughter by five minutes) for her tea break. We had made vague plans to go to a Festival event but in the end we decided to have a final drink in the Café Royal before catching the bus to the Park and Ride from where Charlotte (Polly's twin) had nobly volunteered to chauffeur us home in comfort. At home she had flowers waiting, and we had a glass of fizz with her and the boys to round off our wonderful day.
It was great to have a day just to talk, and laugh, and remember and celebrate being us - and to be glad that after 25 years we still love being together.
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